Alternative investments for beginners
Alternative investments are excellent for investors to boost their returns and diversify their business portfolios. However, given their complexity, alternative investment solutions aren’t for everyone.
Compared to most conventional investments, the alternative options are more complex. In some examples of alternative investments, the purchase price is very high. In other cases, exiting the investment is a complex process due to possible restrictions. Some underlying valuations are often challenging to determine.
However, alternative investments can be ideal for the right investor with the right plan, even for beginners. If you’re thinking about entering the world of alternative investment, it would be best to get informed first.
This article will go over the benefits of alternative investments and the most common types for beginners.
What are alternative investments?
Traditional markets include fixed income, stocks, and cash. Investors looking to explore alternative assets go beyond the traditional markets. Alternative investments have had returns significantly above the public equity market throughout history. The main goal of alternative investments is to boost returns and diversify the investor’s portfolio.
While they may be an excellent way to enhance profit, alternative investments still aren’t for anyone. An investor needs to be prepared to lock up their money for several years, maybe even a decade. Liquidity may also be an issue. Unlike traditional markets, where investors can easily buy or sell stocks and holdings, you can’t buy or sell an alternative asset as quickly.
There are many types of alternative investments, and many of them don’t correlate with stocks. Some of the most popular global alternative investments include:
- Private equity
- Venture capital
- Real estate
- Private debt
- Commodities
What is private equity
Private equity refers to investing in companies that haven’t appeared on the public market. When you invest in a non-publicly traded firm, your money becomes unavailable for several years. Sometimes, investors wait for over ten years to see a return on their investment.
Some private equity funds require substantial minimal investment, and they may be perfect for beginners who have enough idle money.
Venture capital
As a sub-category of private equity, venture capital includes investing in start-up companies with considerable growth potential. It also includes investing in companies looking to expand their business.
Investing in early-stage firms also comes with risks since many don’t make substantial (or any) profit yet. However, helping a growing company grow stronger can be highly rewarding if the business succeeds. Venture capital is a frequent choice for new investors.
Real estate
There are many ways to invest in real estate. As one of the most popular investment assets, real estate has become the most common choice for beginners. It’s considered an alternative when the investor buys residential or rental apartments, office buildings, etc.
The investor may choose to rent the building and be a landlord, or they can use a broker to buy into private real estate trusts.
Timberland and farmland are sub-categories of alternative real estate investments. They are growing in popularity, especially over the past decade.
Private debt
Many companies ask private lenders for funds instead of tapping into private equity. Private debt (or private credit) is an excellent opportunity for new and experienced investors to get better deals than what the public market offers.
There are several types of private debt, and some of them, like senior debt and mezzanine, are known to bring high payouts. Many investors also consider them best alternative investments and less risky compared to other options.
For example, investing in a company with a distressed credit card is risky. It means you’re investing in a company’s debt, and the company is clearly under considerable stress.
Commodities
Various commodities are on the market for investors. Dozens of items enter the market, from gold and oil to rubber, wool, food, and different grains. Most of them fall into four essential categories:
- Energy
- Metal
- Livestock
- Agricultural
- Meat
Investors trade commodities in several ways, including commodity-focused ETFs and futures contracts. The catch with commodities is that their value depends on many factors. Additionally, they are often unpredictable, making trading commodities a risky investment. However, with the proper guidance, even a beginner can make a profit with commodities. The processes are pretty complex, and it will take studying to do everything correctly.
The reward may be fulfilling, but it’s best to be completely informed on everything, especially if you’re a beginner.
Bottom line
Alternative investments are prevalent among experienced investors, but some beginners have also had great success. Although not every investment type may be perfect for every investor, with enough funds and knowledge, some of them are great for boosting capital.
Some of the most financially successful people have made alternative investments an essential part of their portfolios. It’s always wise to put your money where the successful people put theirs.